Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-07-12
A FEW g. A. r. QUERIES.
somc Statements About tho Coming Re
union-Democrats Ignored.
II, IA ES;yo. If Ibs Psoi5er

Some Statements About tho Coming Re-
union-Democrats Ignored.
| To The Editor Of the RsgiseT.
Do you honestly think that the G. A. X.
is a non-political organization9 That the
introduction of politics at its meetings is
strictly forbidden and that its actions are
never in any way influenced by political
feeling That the only object of the great
activity on the part of prominent Repub-
licans in organizing posts all over the
North is to keep alive the feeling of friend
ship among ''the boys in blue?"
II you do, then the course of your paper
in reference to the coming Reunion in this
city is all right. If you do not so believe,
why, as the Editor Of the leading Demo
cratic paper in West Virginia, do you not
say 20 your readers that this so-called Re-
union is no more nor less than Republic
can convention, and is intended as the
opening performance of the next political
campaign in West Virginia.
| The refusal of G. A. X. Posts in Maine
to march in procession, when banner
was displayed with President Cleveland's
portrait on it; the threat that many q. A.
K. Posts would refuse to attend the st.
Louis reunion if Cleveland were present,
and the further threat to insult him; the
refusal of large number OF the members
of a G.. A. K. Post on the way home from
Richmond, to call on the President because
he was q id rebel; the threat to mob
prominent Democrat in Iowa, who had
been asked to respond to toast at one OF
their 6rOtheriy lore reunions, because, as
some Of the gentlemen present elegantly
expressed it, he was a ID copperhead;
and the almost unanimous approval of
these and many similar outrages, in all
parts of the country, by the entire Repub-
lican press, shows how much nOn-partisan
feeling exists among the members Of the
G.. A. K. i'll other places.
How is it here? That old war worn
veteran Hart, covered with scars made by
his mothers slipper, had his man Friday
send out dispatch threatening as mean
an insult to the President as any G. A. X.
Post abroad had been guilty of and has
never yet been man enough to explain or
apologize for his act. 1t was only the
howl raised by the merchants who were
alarmed at the effect this dispatch might
have in spelling show, which Hart had
promised would leave $500, 600 here, that
prevented his standing by his dispatch.
There has never been any denial of its
authorship, or of it's endorsement by the
editor of the leading Republican paper in
this State. 1t was only the bad effect at
home which kept him from editOrially en-
dorsing it. Nor have the G.. A. K. Posts
here officially condemned it. Its senti-
ment is theirs and nothing but mercenary
motives keeps them from adopting it rs
their official utterance.
To show how non-partisan this Reunion
is to be, we present some few facts about
the several committees, appointed 10 make
the necessary preparations for it,
The Chairman of every Committee is a
dyed-in-thewOOl Republican - not one
Democrat in the list-nor a Republican
with any reputation for iberality in his
opinion. OF some of the committees are
Democrats who served in the army during
the whole war, but the Chairmen are Re-
publicans who never smelled powder
burned, since they shot fire crackers in
their boyhood days. Major LOring, citi-
zen for fifty years and n veteran OF the
Mexican war, promoted for gallantry in
the field; Col. A. J. Sweeney, who has
served the city for thirty years as Mayor
and Councilman; Hon. w. l.. Hearne, ex-
member of the Legislature, and the lead
ing iron manufacturer in the city; his son,
F. l.. Hearne; Col. Thos. O'Brien, En-
Treasurer of West Virginia and other
Democrats equally prominent are thought
unfit for Committee Craftsmanship, but
are used for "chunking and daubing" to
ill the crevices on Republican commit
tees that Democrats may not see Hart x
Co. pulling the wool over their eyes
Out of two hundred and thirty-thrCe
places on these committees, thirty-iive are
| filled with Democrats On the Trades
Display Committee are 8 Democrats and
- Republicans; Public Comfort. Demo
crat and - Republican; Invitation, 3
Democrats and ; Republicans; Trans
pOrtatiOn, no Democrats and 8 Republic
ans, Reception, IL Democrats and 40 Re
| publicans; Decoration, = Democrats and
| Is Republicans; Music, Ordinance and
Grand Army, no Democrats; Halls and
| Headquarters, 3 Democrats and 8 Repub-
licans. SO it is all through the committees.
If these places had been filled with veter-
ans, even if Republicans the case would
not be so strong, but more than one hun
bred of these committeeman were never III
the army, but are good Republicans. Ii
this coming reunion is TO be q square deal,
why this one-sided arrangement of the
committees?
Wheeling is Democratic by at least two
hundred majority. Ohio county is more
strongly Democratic thanl the city. The
G. A. K. has been invited TO hold 4 re-
union here by nOn-partiSau ~ commit
tee of the citizens, and in making prepare
ton for the City's guests, the majority
party is represented on the committees III
the proportion of one to seven. The single
time when the Democratic majority has
been reOTganized, was when committee
went before the County Commissioners
and induced them to illegally appropriate
one thousand dollars to assist in paying
the expenses of the coming meeting.
How the County Commissioners dared
to expend part of the moneys, which they
are only authorized to levy and collect for
county purposes, is worth looking into. If
the matter was Investigated the Commits
siOners might be found to be personally
liable for the money. They have no more
right to make the appropriation than they
have to put the money in their own pOck-
| cts.
| II is rumOred that like raid is to De
made ON the city treasury, and that the
Mayor is to head this movement as he cid
the one on the county treasury. With the
above facts about the committees can you
longer urge Democrats to assist in prepar-
ing for meeting, which every act and ut
terance of Republicans here and all over
the country show, is to be one of series OF
meetings intended to be the opening of
next years's political campaign.
One great object seems to be to try to in
duce Democrats who were in the army to
turn their backs on their party and assist
in putting the Republican party again in
power. He would be poor soldier, who,
after fighting for the four best years of his
life, to establish the supremacy Of the con-
stitution and laws of the country in all
parts of it, would in his declining years
lend his aid to strengthen and restore to
| an Marty uban rrnOninant hpra